I won't pretend to even scratch the surface of the volume of oyster knowledge within a 100 mile radius of where I sit. Frankly, we're smack dab in the middle of one of the best oyster areas in the world, and oysters are not my forte'. What I do know about oysters is that I love them, and most of the time they seem to love me back! As my appreciation for raw oysters grows, so does my enjoyment of the different varieties of oysters. And then once you think you have a handle on the different varieties, you can begin to explore similar oyster species that are grown in different areas or with different methods, which also can impart substantial flavor differences. It's all a little complicated! To make a long (and perhaps painful) story short, I'm pretty happy with just about any very small oyster that's been shucked on the half shell. They're elegant, a little sexy, and just the perfect combination of sweet, salty and fabulous.

Shigoku on the left, Kumamoto on the right.

During the cooler months of the year we almost always carry the traditional "gold standard" of specialty oysters, the Kumamoto. Kumo's are teardrop in shape and have a deep, ridged cup and a mild salty flavor. They're not difficult to shuck (major bonus) and they're grown locally in Oakland Bay, which is always a good thing. If you're looking to dabble in a half-shell oyster, you'd be hard pressed to beat the Kumamoto. However! This week we're introducing an oyster that's new to us - the Shigoku. The word means "premium" in Japanese and the oyster is actually a very familiar Pacific oyster that's been tumbled twice daily with the tides. The tumbling inhibits the growing edge of the oyster and causes them to "cut up", which gives them a familiar teardrop shape much like our beloved Kumamoto, only perfectly smooth on the outside without the distinctive ridges. They're plump little bits of fabulousness and if you're an oyster lover you must try them!

So again, the disclaimer is that I'm practically surrounded by award-winning oyster shuckers, (there must be a dozen different shucking contests between our county and Mason every year), and I have no business claiming any advanced knowledge about how to perform the task. Still, I've shucked a fair number of oysters with great success and I have plans to continue to do so for many years to come, so I'll throw our system out there for anyone who's in need of a little instruction or encouragement!

First things first: Don't use a kitchen knife! If you're in a *total* pinch I suppose you could TRY using a screwdriver, but save a trip to the hospital and buy or borrow an oyster knife. We have a high-end version at our shop for sale ($16 plus tax - it's a Dexter that won't ever wobble in the base) but you can usually find a decent one for under $10 in the kitchen tools section of your local grocery store. And if you want to start with good shucking karma, you can buy a used one from most of the oyster companies! And if you really don't like having even a blunt knife edge jab at your hand we really do recommend a nice sturdy glove. You only need one, so if you're right handed and you have an oystery friend who's left handed... bonus!

Find the spot: Position your oyster so that the cup side is down and the top flat side is up. The two halves of the shell come together at the hinge, and that's where you want to tuck your oyster knife in. You're going for more of a "finessing" than a "shoving", so give it a firm but steady push and once the knife is set in the hinge , twist it sideways and if all goes well you'll hear a popping sound as the hinge breaks.

Remove top shell: Before you get into removing the top shell, wipe your knife real quick to make sure there's not little broken hinge bits that you're getting into your oyster. Once the knife is clean, swipe it firmly along the top of the inside of the shell to detach the oyster muscle. This same muscle is attached to the underside as well so...

Loosen the oyster: .... scoop your knife along the same area of the bottom shell to cut the other side of the muscle and completely loosen the oyster. Now it's ready to slide easily from shell to mouth! Hurrah!

Tony indulged me by shucking an oyster while I filmed a quick video. It's just a few seconds so if you're interested, click HERE.

A note about ice: The traditional way to serve oysters on the half shell is on a bed of crushed ice. This is handy because not only does it keep your oysters perfectly chilled, but it holds the oyster cup without tipping it so you don't lose the liquid that the oyster sits in. I've also seen people use rock salt or sand in a pinch, but we want to be sure and let everyone know that we're happy to provide a portion of flake ice that holds pretty well in a home freezer until it's ready to be used. Hit us up for some if you need it!

Oysters by themselves are a treat.

Oysters with a beautiful wine or a frosty beer are exceptional.

Oysters with champagne...now you're bordering on the pinnacle of food bliss. Jim and Mary at the Wine Loft (next door!) recommend the Italian Montelliana Prosecco, priced at $9.70 and guaranteed to elevate your oyster slurping experience. Enjoy!

Just a quick note to let you know that we're all set up to take your order for the Thanksgiving holiday later this month! If you're planning your menu and intending to serve seafood (of course!) give us a call or stop on by and we'll set you up with a fancy "special order card" and a number. We'd be happy to talk to you and help you plan as well, so let us know if you have any questions. :)

The Olympia Seafood Company, Inc.

Kira and Tony DeRito

411 Columbia St NW